The Vancouver Canucks will take the ice for one final preseason game as they welcome the Edmonton Oilers to town for a Friday night finale at Rogers Arena.
You can expect to see a strong lineup from each of the Pacific Division clubs as they prepare to embark on the 2025-26 regular season.
Quick Hits on the Competition
- On Friday morning, the Oilers announced a three-year extension for their head coach, Kris Knoblauch, who is now under contract through the 2028-29 season.
- Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid skated on a line with Trent Frederic at their morning skate on Friday.
- Former Canuck Troy Stecher skates on the Oilers’ second pairing with Darnell Nurse. Nurse leads the Oilers with three goals in three games.
- Stuart Skinner is the expected starter for Friday’s game.
- Former Canuck Vasily Podkolzin has returned from his leave of absence after his father’s passing and skated on the Oilers’ second line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrew Mangiapane.
- Friday’s game will be the Oilers’ eighth game of the preseason.
The Story: Cootes, Kane and Lekki Line
17-year pro Evander Kane is back with the youngsters for Friday’s game. The NHL veteran, with 930 games played, skates on the left wing alongside 18-year-old Braeden Cootes and 21-year-old Jonathan Lekkerimäki.
The trio has been together for a significant portion of training camp, and assistant coach Kevin Dean likes having Kane alongside the two young players.
“Get a guy out there, who has been around, can talk to them between shifts, can protect them if things get rough, and get in their ear, and just give them a little bit of confidence,” said Dean of Evander Kane.
“They have to perform like everyone else does. And to this point, they’ve done a nice job.”
“I’m not looking at it as where I got to help them through the game. I think just playing well with them,” said Kane following morning skate.
Kane has continued to be impressed with Cootes and looks at tonight’s game as another test for the 2025 first-round pick, as both teams are bringing an NHL-heavy lineup.
When and Where to Watch
Friday’s game is a 7:00 p.m. PT start time, and you can watch the game on Sportsnet or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
